PopCap Games expands into San Francisco

PopCap Games, a Seattle-based maker of so-called casual games, said it has opened a game-development studio in San Francisco, with five staffers now and room to expand to 25.

The new office, complementing the company’s headquarters in Seattle and another game-development facility in Ireland, is intended to tap talent in the Bay Area, where the game industry is concentrated, according to Chief Executive David Roberts.

PopCap says it expects the casual-game business will grow to more than $1 billion in 2006 and $5 billion by 2009, driven mostly by gaming on mobile devices such as cell phones.

Casual games are generally easy-to-play titles that aren’t as intricate, time-consuming or violent as other games.

PopCap Games expands into San Francisco

PopCap Games, a Seattle-based maker of so-called casual games, said it has opened a game-development studio in San Francisco, with five staffers now and room to expand to 25.

The new office, complementing the company’s headquarters in Seattle and another game-development facility in Ireland, is intended to tap talent in the Bay Area, where the game industry is concentrated, according to Chief Executive David Roberts.

PopCap says it expects the casual-game business will grow to more than $1 billion in 2006 and $5 billion by 2009, driven mostly by gaming on mobile devices such as cell phones.

Casual games are generally easy-to-play titles that aren’t as intricate, time-consuming or violent as other games.